


wild

by kingbesideslou



Category: Daniel Howell - Fandom, Phan, Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), Phil Lester - Fandom, dan and phil
Genre: Afterlife, Alternate Universe, Angst, Bottom Dan Howell, Cute Dan Howell, Demon AU, Demon Dan Howell, Demon/Human Relationships, Fluff, I'll see how I feel, M/M, Phil Lester is pretty sassy, Spiritual, Top Phil Lester, demon Daniel howell, dominant phil lester, idk - Freeform, like always, maybe smut, what else is he, you know?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-22 07:02:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13161738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingbesideslou/pseuds/kingbesideslou
Summary: Phil Lester never believed in an after life.





	1. Chapter 1

Phil had never really cared much for nights like these, where he and all his friend were drunk off their asses, hopelessly trying to find something to do before the buzz wears-off. He lived for the nights they were sober and playing board games, making memories they could remember clearly, but tonight they were at PJ’s house, drinking like teenagers even though they were well into their 20’s. He tried to pretend like he was more drunk than he actually was so his friends wouldn’t start to belittle and call him “Buzzkill Phil” like they would whenever he didn’t want to do something or was still sober enough to stand up.  
“Yo, anyone have like a Oujia board or something? Let’s conjure up some spirits.” Tom bursts out. “Peej, you have one, don’t you?” He pointed at a drunken PJ, pupils blown out to where his irises were barely visible.  
“I think so?” He struggled to stand up before stammering over to one of his many comic book and board game filled shelves, searching as carefully as he could for about 3 minutes before he found it. “I don’t know how I found this but hey!” He holds the box up in the air with pride.  
“You finding that as drunk as you are is a miracle.” Sophie laughed. “Okay so do we just like…pull the board out? Or is there something we do?”  
The group began to shut off the lights and light up some candles around the room, a mixture of different burning scents filling the air.  
“It smells like a fucking bath and body works in here” PJ laughed. “This is what happens when I let Sophie pick candles.” He nudges her. “Really helps set the mood when the whole house smells like a mango and strawberry are fucking.”  
The whole group erupts with laughter, Phil takes a look over to Chris who looks like any remaining melanin that was in his skin has left.  
“You okay?” He whispers to Chris who jumps in his seat before quickly turning to Phil muttering how fine he is. “Alrighty…if you say so.” He says before turning his attention back to the group who is still taking the piss out on PJ and Sophie for their choice of candles.  
“So we doing this or not?” Tom chimes in, still laughing.  
“Yeah, let’s do it.” PJ starts, “Everyone put two fingers somewhere on the oracle.”  
Everyone immediately complies.  
“I don’t think this is a good idea” Chris stutters softly, fear saturating his voice.  
“Don’t be scared,” Phil says, “it’s not real anyways.” The whole group gasps at Phil before all trying to talk over each other about how real spirits are. “Well if it’s so real why are you trying to conjure up demons? Dumbasses.”  
“Cos, the oujia board is full of shit.” PJ says.  
“Is that not what I just said?” Phil sasses back.  
“You know what? Just shut the hell up and play along, okay buzzkill Phil?” PJ laughed.  
“Fine whatever, little penis PJ.” Phil retorted.  
Everyone laughed at the exchange, Chris is still visibly scared but is willing to play along, the purest depiction of peer pressure. Placing their two fingers on the oracle, they begin.  
“Are there any spirits here?” PJ begins. Everyone tenses up, the room suddenly seems much cooler and still, filled with the fear of what is uncertain.  
“Yes, because a newly built house in the middle of uptown Brighton is the centre of demonic activity.” Phil laughed.  
“Do you ever shut up?” PJ says, obviously irritated with Phil by this point.  
“I’m just trying to lighten the mood.” Phil laughs, the whole group giggling with him.  
“Well if there are any spirits or demonic presences here, be sure to haunt the fuck out of Phil.” PJ spits.  
“Oh, I’m so scared.” Phil laughs, “While you’re at it spirit or demon, be my boyfriend, I’m getting tired of jacking myself off.” The whole group erupts even PJ before falling silent, the oracle moving to the ‘O’. “Knock it off PJ that isn’t funny.” Phil manages to choke out a laugh.  
The oracle moves to the ‘K’.  
“I swear to God I’m not moving it.” PJ is visibly paler. Everyone in the group falls silent and sober.  
“Whoever that was, fucking stop it isn’t cute.” Sophie cries.  
The oracle moving to the ‘C’ then the ‘U’…  
“C, U, soon…” Tom reads out before looking up to a very flushed Phil. “Phil, you scared?”  
“No, this crap isn’t real, one of you was moving it.” They all mumble how it wasn’t them but Phil just rolls his eyes. “Yeah whatever, well that’s enough of that.”  
“Yeah, I agree.” Chris says, shaken up a bit.  
PJ gets up and put the board back in its box and placed it back on the shelf before turning back to the group. “Let’s all agree to never do that again.” Everyone nods in agreement. “I see you’ve all sobered up a bit, but still…spend the night here.” He says before making his way upstairs, Sophie trailing behind him, “We have enough rooms for everyone so just pick one, I for one am pooped so I’m going to sleep, see you guys in the morning.” He clunks up the stairs before disappearing, a door shutting behind him.  
Tom walks up to Phil before whispering to let him know if anything happens. Phil jumps a bit before quickly turning to him. “What do you mean?”  
“Well…I want to know if anything crazy happens or if it was all bullshit.”  
“Tom, be quiet, you know it was all bull crap.” Phil says before heading up stairs leaving Tom and Chris behind. “But,” he says before turning around “if anything crazy does happen I’ll be sure to inform you, my paranormal hunting friend.”  
He entered the foreign bedroom, taking off his shirt which smelled of sweat and booze, and pants which were too tight to have a comfortable night’s rest in and laid in bed, laying in his own drunken sweat, too lazy to shower. He stared at the popcorn ceiling studying each bump and crevice waiting for sleep to overcome his drunken body, after that failed he began thinking about what it would be like to have a boyfriend, he hadn’t had a boyfriend ever and hadn’t even had a girlfriend since he was a teenager and even that was just petty childish lust. He wondered what it would feel like to hold an actual person before going to sleep instead of a pillow. After a half an hour of thinking, he drifted off to sleep thinking of what he was going to eat for breakfast tomorrow, unconcerned about anything else in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im going to try* to update this daily, if i can


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Phil wakes up, collects his things from around the room, slides back into his unwashed clothes and walks downstairs, where the room smells like burnt out fruity candles and pancakes.  
“You hungry, love?” Sophie sings, everyone collected around the table with coffees and teas. “You should probably eat before you leave, if you plan on leaving.”  
“Sure, I was actually feeling like some pancakes last night.” Phil smiled. “How’d you know?”  
“A woman’s intuition I guess you could say.”  
“Actually, we heard you mumbling to yourself about it last night and thought it’d be fun to surprise you.” PJ interrupted and Sophie nudged him.  
“I wanted to play like it was a random coincidence but sure that works too.”  
Everyone gathered around the table, salivating from the scent of a warm breakfast being cooked. The best part about visiting PJ and Sophie was definitely when Sophie cooked, she was the best cook he knew.  
She set down the selection of fruits, creams and syrups to use and sat down, announcing everyone can start to eat.  
“So, what’re everyone’s plans today?” Tom broke the noise of people chewing. “I for one have a huge project I have to finish up.”  
“I’m heading home today, I have work stuff I have to do too, like I’ve been writing my book-long thesis on human speech and its evolution.” Phil gleams, he has been super proud of this work and couldn’t wait to share it with the world one day.  
“That sounds really interesting. I can’t wait for you to finish, we’ve all been waiting to read it.” PJ chimes in and everyone agrees.  
“Thanks guys, but it’s pretty boring. I don’t think you’d find it interesting.” Phil blushes.  
“Nonsense, if you wrote it and you’re proud of it we want to support you, and we all expect a copy. Stop playing so coy.” Everyone one again mumble in agreement and say that they’re super proud of Phil and everything he has accomplished so far, especially as young as he is.  
After two hours of talking about nonsense and work things, they decide it’s time to clean up. Sophie wraps up some things for Phil to take home while he’s busy washing dishes. Soon everyone is leaving out the door and hugging each other goodbye.  
“I know you’re a little over an hour away, and London is a great place to be, but don’t be a stranger. Make time to escape and come visit us more and we’ll come visit you if you’d like.” Sophie hugged Phil tight, they had always been super close since university and time stood as no challenge for the strength of their friendship.  
“I promise,” and Phil never broke a promise. “I’ll see you soon.” Sophie broke the hug and ran into PJ, waving goodbye to all their friends before closing the door.  
“Phil,” Tom yelled before getting in his car, Phil turned his attention over to him. “Don’t forget what I said!”  
“Shut up!” Phil laughed. “But I’ll keep in touch!” Phil got in his car and closed the door. He had rented one for the weekend because he doesn’t really need a car in London, taking the public transports is much easier and less expensive plus Phil was an awful driver if it wasn’t just driving in a straight line on open roads, lucky for him that was pretty much his drive for the next hour. He turned on his radio and he was off.  
The drive was pretty easy, because he left on a Monday afternoon during regular work hours, the traffic was really light and it only took him about 50 minutes to get back into London and he was home before sundown. Speeding may or may not have been a factor but that wasn’t in the question.  
Phil walked into his flat, light blue walls with big open windows greeted him. His diplomas hung proud on the wall in the order that he received them, surrounded by big beautiful paintings PJ and Sophie had made for him, ones of great running landscapes and Phil’s personal favourite painting PJ had done for him of a woman floating in open waters. He hurried to his room, took a shower to wash away the sweat from the previous night. Phil relished in long hot showers, thinking of what to add to his book, ideas of what he wanted to do in the future, what kind of person he would end up marrying. He lingered on that one, building the niche image of someone in his head. Wondering what it would be like to go on cute coffee and tea dates to little cafés, travel the world, grow old with someone instead of being alone all the time. With that in mind he decided he didn’t want to work at home tonight so he hopped out of the shower, quickly dried himself off, got dressed, pushed his hair back for once and walked downstairs to the coffee shop he lived above with his laptop. The smell of coffee and tea always helped him relax and work for a bit.  
“Hey Phil!” the barista greeted. “It’s good to see you, you’ve not been around in a while. Had me worried.” Without asking, she began making his regular order.  
“Hi Charlotte, I’ve been so busy with university and writing my book I’ve barely had much time for myself. But I’m a bit ahead of schedule and decided to take time to myself this weekend.” Phil smiled, it’s nice being out.  
“Oh yeah the book! You have to tell me when you’re done with that. Phil Lester, Doctor of English and Linguistics. Has a nice ring don’t you think?” she winked at him  
“The pay raise will have a nicer ring to it.” They both laughed. “When do you leave for university?”  
“I leave in the fall, the few years I’ve taken off to run the shop here has been nice, but I really want to get a degree. I’m going to Manchester.”  
“I grew up in Manchester!” Phil elated “I’m so happy you’ve decided to pursue what makes you happy.”  
“Yeah, I have family up there too so it’d be nice.”  
“Let me know, I could always tell you the hot spots up there and what not,” she handed him his tea and smiled, “well I’ll let you go and work. It’s always nice seeing you Lottie!”  
They waved to one another and he walked to the farthest table and sat down and looked out the window at the people passing, pretending they were part dragon, their breath looking like smoke in the cold London air. He saw the world as a magical place, saw people and phenomenon full of wonder, he loved making stories for the people passing by and creating a whole new world in his head. After too much time had passed, he directed his full attention to his work, today was an addition day, meaning he was actually writing and adding to the work from the research he had gathered, seldom taking a break to sip his tea.  
After feeling as though he’s added an efficient amount he lifted his attention from the screen and caught eyes with someone. A man with straightened chocolaty hair, brown eyes and the softest pale skin, touched with birthmarks in a few places, was staring directly at him. He figured he was just spacing out and directed his attention back to his laptop, trying to ignore the new sensation of eyes piercing into him. After a few seconds, he looks back up and sees the man has directed his attention elsewhere and sighs. He studied him, the way freckles were lightly sprinkled on his skin with birthmarks rarely in between, the way his nose curved with a slight bump and his jaw was soft but defined. His hair brushed into a neat fringe with a slight wave at the end, he was beautiful and Phil was unapologetically staring.  
In the midst of Phil’s studies the man had turned around and caught Phil hungrily studying him. Phil began to feel his face go hot, he was definitely a bright red from the embarrassment as he hid his face in his hands trying to hide his embarrassment. A few seconds later he heard the chair on the other side of his two-person table being put into use. He looked up, face flushed.  
“If we’re going to stare at each other I think we could at least know each other’s names, my name is Dan.” He had a smirk across his face, it was slightly crooked and he had the sweetest dimples.  
“I’m Phil.” He extended his hand and was met with a firm grasp.  
“You looked quite intrigued by your studies,” Dan took a sip of his coffee. “What’re you up to in there?” He tapped the top of the laptop.  
“Well I’m writing a book, about linguistics.”  
“Oh linguistics, eh? Fun stuff. What for?”  
“I want to be a doctor in my field of study.” Phil stated proudly and Dan put his hands up.  
“Whoa. A doctor. I’d be lying if I said that isn’t super attractive.” Dan laid it on thick and Phil blushed hard.  
“Relax, relax. I’m single.” Phil teased and Dan laughed.  
“Okay good.” Dan smiled. “I figured I’d go all in until I was sure, so you from around here?”  
“Yup, actually I’m from right up there.” Phil pointed up, maybe telling someone you just met where you live wasn’t the brightest idea, but he had a good feeling about this guy.  
“Really? I live right down the street, by the dog groomer and the bakery.”  
They were in awe of how they’d never ran into each other and how small London really is when you put it into perspective like that. For hours, they talked about the video games they enjoyed most as kids.  
“Wubble Bubble? I could kick your butt at!” Phil exclaimed.  
“I doubt it, it’s just a platformer. Now, the real skill is in Halo.” Dan snickered.  
“I can beat you at that too.”  
“You willing to place a bet on that?”  
“Speaking of video games, have you ever played ‘Final Fantasy’?” Phil comically changed the subject.  
“Are you kidding? Of course I have! It has the best soundtrack of any game I’ve ever played.”  
“A man of great taste.” Phil smiled.  
“I could say the same about you.” Dan replied with a cheeky wink.  
Soon they were saving music onto their phones of songs they recommend for each other, Phil rambled on about his favourite television show when he was a kid ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and Dan just giggled over how enthusiastic he’d gotten. For the first time in a long time Phil felt like a teenager again, like a hopeless romantic in a big Hollywood film, talking to a man he’d just met, feeling like he’d known him for years.  
“Hey guys,” a soft voice interrupted “sorry to get in the middle of this but, we really have to close up shop now.”  
“Oh dear, Lottie I am so sorry, what time is it?”  
“Near midnight.”  
“Crap, we must have lost track of the time,” he began frantically packing his things into his satchel.  
“You looked like you were having fun, I didn’t want to interrupt but, you know- “  
“Don’t be sorry, it’s my fault I should’ve kept track of time.” He got up with his laptop and began on his way out with Dan in trail. “Have a goodnight Lottie!”  
“You too, Phil!” Lottie waved and the door closed behind them, a little bell ringing.  
“Well, Dan-” Phil began to shiver in the cold air. “-I had a lot of fun tonight, more f-fun than I’ve had in a while.”  
“Here’s my number,” he pulled out a piece of paper with his number already on it. “I was going to give it to you anyways, but then we ended up talking and here we are.” He smiled. “Let’s do this again sometime? Yeah?”  
“Yeah.” Phil nodded with a soft smile.  
“Now go inside you’re going to get sick. I’ll talk to you soon.” Dan began to walk away, before turning around one more time to see Phil who waved while opening up the door to his complex. Phil walked up to his flat and opened the door before setting his laptop down on his coffee table and sitting down on his couch with Dan’s poorly written phone number in hand. Dan had written a little ‘x’ after his name. He immediately saved his number into his phone and put the piece of paper into a little box he kept on his coffee table of keepsakes.  
“Perhaps I can check ‘cute coffee dates’ off of the list of things I’ve always wanted to do.” Phil sighed happily before turning on the TV and watching his recording of Jeremy Kyle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> remember how I said I'd edit this everyday. Well...I'll work on it everyday and update it when I think its good cos I want to put actual effort into this. I'm thinking this one is going to be quite long so yeah :)


	3. Chapter 3

A few days had passed since he’d seen Dan or even talked to him. He texted him but received no reply. He should have known it was too good to be true, he probably had some chap at home and was just out to see if he could get some idiot to make love eyes at him, and Phil was the idiot. Every vibration from his phone, Phil would check with urgency and hope, but nothing.  
“Whatever he wasn’t that cute anyways…” Phil mumbled to himself before silencing and tossing his phone on the couch and heading to the kitchen to make a marmalade toast.  
He sat in the kitchen, opened his laptop and started to work, which these days was all he really did and today was an editing day, so he would go back and edit and add what he felt was needed to round out the piece.  
After hours of adding miniscule sentences and staring at a blinking cursor he was officially burnt out and when he looked up, saw the sun had been set a long time ago.  
“Oh crap what time is it?” he looked up at his analog clock despite their being a clock on his computer. “Eight PM? What the hell?” He got up and walked back into his living room to check his phone. He turned it over and was confronted with a few notifications, some from Sophie asking how he was doing and some from a number that was not saved into his phone. Phil immediately felt the adrenaline race through his veins, hoping it was the cute boy from the coffee shop.  
“Hey is this Phil? From the coffee shop? It’s Dan…I kind of broke my phone on the way home and didn’t get a new one until today. I wrote your number down for what I could see through the shattered screen so I’m hoping this is it.” Phil smiled from ear to ear because for once maybe he wasn’t an idiot. That was less than an hour ago so he immediately answered that he had the correct number and awaited a response. In the meantime, he replied to Sophie and told her that he was safe and that he missed them already.  
He walked back into the kitchen and decided he would heat up the take-homes Sophie had given him, breakfast for dinner was Phil’s favourite thing, he had always preferred sweet over savory. He pulled his phone out of his pocket while the food was heating up and was greeted by another text from Dan.  
“Good, I was worried. I liked spending time with you.”  
“I liked spending time with you too. Want to go out tomorrow night?” Phil quickly replied.  
“Of course, 6pm sound good?” Phil thought for a moment about his schedule, but all he’d be doing is writing his book.  
“Yup. Perfect, I know this quaint little diner down the street we can go to.”  
After exchanging information Dan said he had to turn in for the night because he had to wake up earlier for classes the next day and Phil wished him a goodnight.  
The rest of Phil’s night was him being preoccupied with the thoughts of hopelessly falling in love with the boy from the coffee shop.  
-  
Phil was showered and ready. He brushed his hair back once again because Dan seemed to fancy the quiff, he put his most expensive cologne on and the best shirt and jean combination he could find, he was shooting for a sexy-casual look. He grabbed his wallet and laptop and packed his satchel before grabbing his keys and heading out. On his way there he thought about how since he was early maybe he could get some work done.  
“Who am I kidding I’m not going to get any work done, but at least I feel better about myself with the notion in mind.” Phil mumbled to himself on the way there. Trying to calm himself down, this was fine, he was fine. His hands began to sweat a bit as he entered the diner.  
“Hi, welcome in!” The hostess greeted Phil with a practiced warmth. “How many?”  
“Actually, I’m meeting someone.” Phil forced a smile while looking around to see if Dan may have arrived before him. But within his quick scan he saw no one.  
“I don’t think anyone I’ve sat has mentioned meeting someone, would you like me to seat you for two for when they come in, or if you see them, we can just seat you there?”  
“Sounds perfect.”  
The hostess grabbed to menus and Phil followed in toe to a booth.  
“Is this fine?”  
“This is great.” He sat down and began to shake off his jacket. “Thank you.”  
“Let me know if you need anything.” She set the menus down on opposite sides of the table and walked back to her hostess stand.  
Phil pulled out his laptop from his satchel and started it up, maybe in the midst of all this emotion he can pull together some great additions to his thesis.  
“Is work all you ever do?” A familiar warm voice resonated throughout Phil’s body. He tried not to look completely elated but it was too late, a Phil’s face wore the brightest smile and the brightest eyes.  
“Dan! Hey.” He got up and Dan embraced him for a moment to Phil’s surprise.  
“Can’t say I didn’t miss you.” They both sat down across from each other.  
“I missed you too.” Phil replied. “And, no, I do more than just work.”  
“Oh yeah, like what?”  
Phil’s face went blank, what else does he do besides work?  
“Well um-” Phil’s mind raced with thoughts. “-I go to Brighton sometimes to visit friends. But listen, sure I work a lot now, but when I get my doctorates in English and Linguistics, it’ll all be smooth sailing. I already have a job as a professor at Kings University lined up. Not everyone gets their doctoral at 26, you know?” Phil felt flustered, he knows he works a lot but people just don’t seem to understand his reasoning. “I’m sorry, I get asked that a lot and I just…am trying to be as successful as I can be.”  
“You’re getting your doctorates at 26?” Dan asked, mouth agape.  
“Yes…”  
“Holy shit, are you a genius?”  
Phil tried to hide his smile. “Well, no.”  
“How did you even-? How?”  
“Well, when I was 15 I graduated secondary and attended the University of York. I received my bachelors in English and Linguistics, the scientific study of hearing and speech sciences, by the time I was 18 because of my accelerated learning and I was able to test out of some pre-requisites. Then I studied at Oxford University and attained my master’s degree by the time I was 22 and now I’m almost done with my doctoral which I am getting from ULC, once I finish this book I’ll send it to my professor and after that, the publishing company and hopefully my research will be published, after that…hopefully I’ll be a doctor in my field.” Phil focused his eyes back on Dan whose mouth was wide open with shock, in awe of who was sitting in front of him. “What?” Phil blushed with embarrassment, maybe he was showing off too much.  
“You’re amazing.” Dan smiled with a breathy laugh. “You’re absolutely…amazing.” Dan was absolutely breathless in the presence of Phil Lester.  
“No, I’m not, I just really wanted this. More than anything. It was something I loved but I’ve made a lot of sacrifices along the way. I barely had a social life, sure I have friends but being where I am today is quite lonely at times.” Phil’s eyes broke from Dan’s, he wasn’t hurt but more so embarrassed of how vulnerable he was allowing himself to be.  
“You don’t have to be lonely anymore then, because now you have me.” Dan reached his hand across the table and softly grabbed onto Phil’s clenched fist, softly rubbing his thumb over the hills and valleys of Phil’s soft knuckles. “Promise.”  
Phil looked back up to Dan, shocked by his cool hands, his eyes pierced by the tired brown ones in front of him. Phil, without thinking leaned across the table and was met by the lips of the boy’s in front of him, a quick, chaste peck.  
“Hi, my name is Emma. Could I get you boys anything to drink?” Dan and Phil both jumped, startled by the lurid voice of the waitress.  
“Uh, yes. I’ll have a water.”  
“Me too.” Dan looked at Phil and nodded to the waitress as she wrote down their drink orders and walked away.  
“Well that happened.” Phil stated blatantly.  
“I’m glad.” Dan smiled.  
Their waters came and their food and they spent hours getting to know each other better, talking about their dreams and interests.  
“I go to Queen Mary’s, for law.” Dan smiled bleakly.  
“You do not seem too happy with that.” Phil cocked his head, “why?”  
“Because I don’t know if that’s what I want, it’s boring to me so far. But if I don’t do law what will I do?” Dan shrugged. “I just want to be good at something.”  
“Well, your days are young. It’s not too late to figure out what it is you love.”  
“I love filming and photography. I want to photograph the world and document climate change.” Dan’s eyes were sad, but filled with hope of the future and wonder of the things he could do. “But it’s so uncertain. I don’t know if I’d ever be able to make it.”  
“Do you want it?”  
Dan looked up from his water, “what?”  
“Do you want it?”  
“To be a photographer? Of course I do.” Dan eyebrows furrowed as though it wasn’t obvious enough.  
“Then you can do it. You want it bad enough. Do you think I got here because I didn’t believe in myself? As if I didn’t want it? No. I got here because I busted my ass and you can get to where you want to be if you bust yours. Believe me. Because I believe in you.” He had never been more serious. He looked Dan right in the eyes, reached his hand across the table and rubbed his thumb over the hills and valleys of Dan’s knuckles. “Promise.” 

“Thank you.” Dan smiled wide, his cheeks becoming a soft pink decorated with dimples on each side. 

Their night continued and snow began to bless the London skies.  
“As much as I love snow, it looks like it’s really coming down out there. Would you like to come back to my place for a while?” Phil smiled and Dan nodded in agreement.  
Phil called over the waitress for the bill. Phil grabbed his satchel, jacket and scarf and they were on their way out.  
Dan broke the silence of their brisk walk. “Why do you love snow?”  
“Reminds me of when my brother and I would build snow-dogs.” Phil smiled at the thought. “Do you like snow?”  
“I don’t mind it. I like the fall and winter more than the summer though if that counts as anything. I love when the nights are longer.” Dan blew into the air and watched his breath form in the cold winter air. “Reminds me of dragons.”  
Phil’s eyes widened with excitement, this boy really was something. 

Soon enough they were walking about to Phil’s complex.  
“We’re here. Welcome to my luxurious flat.” They walked up the stairs and Phil reluctantly opened the door trying to remember if he had cleaned, but he supposed it was too late now and gently swung the door open. “Ta da!”  
“This is beautiful.” Dan’s eyes widened again. “Phil, holy crap.”  
“Thank you.” Phil beamed with pride. “I liked to think I have an eye for design. Here, let me take your jacket. Feel free to look around.”  
Dan looked around at the soft blue walls, tracing his fingers around the terrariums that were neatly placed on shelves, walked over to the big windows where below were the beautiful streets of London, the polished dark wooden floors.  
Meanwhile, Phil was down the hallway, organizing their belongings. He took this moment to freshen himself up. He walked into the bathroom and fixed his quiff which had slightly fallen. Freshened up his cologne and walked out of the bathroom.  
Phil was met with a dark hallway into a dark living room, cool, as though the windows were open. As he walked down the hallway into the living room, he discovered that nothing but a single candle was lit on the coffee table. A cold chill ran down his spine.  
“...Da-?” Phil was forcefully pushed up against the wall, wind knocked out of him. His hands pinned above him by cold lifeless hands and something cold and sharp pressed to his neck. He tried to break free but no amount of force would sway the body in front of him, when he finally opened his eyes he was confronted with cold, pure black eyes, blackness that had liquefied into where the whites would be. He tried to yell, but nothing came out but a single moth flew out of his mouth. His eyes began to well up with tears, fear radiating from him.  
“Oh, you naïve man.” His voice was deep, dark as though it wasn’t even him, but it was. “You’re so desperate for love, you were willing to ask Satan for it, and that where I come in.” He removed the knife from Phil’s neck and balanced the point on his finger effortlessly. “You see, you should never make deals with the devil, but I bet you knew that, you just thought it wasn’t real.” He traced the dull end of the knife across Phil’s face as tears began to fall down his cheeks, Phil tried to struggle with everything in him, but he was paralyzed, his body numb as though his nerves were made of television static. “Oh dear Phil, but it is. This is real, you are not dreaming. Now, the devil loves a challenge and to be honest so do I. So, let’s make a bet. If you can make me fall in love with you within the next 60 days, I won’t take your soul and curse you to burn in an eternal flame, but if you can’t, when you die alone and decrepit, you will burn in hell for eternity. Sound good?” Dan placed the knife back to Phil’s throat and pressed lightly. “I’m going to allow you speak, if you scream, you die.”  
“D-Dan…please.” Phil’s voice was shaking and he hot liquid began to fall down his legs.  
“The most pathetic form of fear, pissing yourself. You’re not off to a good start, Lester. Now, do you agree to this?” Dan’s nose pressed against Phil’s and the darkness within Dan began to seep into Phil’s skin, turning it a sickly grey and his veins turning black. “You’re running out of time to decide.”  
Phil couldn’t bear to think of what would happen if he said no, so he reluctantly nodded his head in agreement.  
Dan dropped the knife and snapped his fingers where across the room, in a terrarium, a small black rose appeared. “That rose will keep track of your progress, interpret that as you will.” Dan paused for a moment, as Phil opened his mouth and tried to yell from the pain of the darkness spreading throughout his body. “Oh, and if you tell anyone about this, you die.” Dan spread his lips and a mass of locus came out, crawling around and flying into Phil’s open mouth, he could feel their little legs tickling inside his throat, his blood feeling like a saturated sludge struggling to push through his veins, the pain worse than anything he’d ever felt and soon everything went to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

**Author's Note:**

> Yo thanks for bearing with me again, I hope you like this one as much as I enjoyed conjuring up the idea for it and writing itself was quite a fun break project. Be sure to comment and all! I'd greatly appreciate your opinions.


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